Listening Over Speaking
“The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.” Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.” 1 Kings 19:11-12
“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” John 10:27
When Elijah fled to the wilderness, he encountered God not in wind, fire, or earthquake but in a gentle whisper (1 Kings 19:11-12).
Jesus also sought lonely places where He could hear the Father’s heart.
I really like how this poem by Thomas Merton, an American monk, (d. 1968) says it:
When I am liberated by silence,
when I am no longer involved in the measurement of life,
but in the living of it,
I can discover a form of prayer in which
there is effectively, no distraction.
My whole life becomes a prayer.
My whole silence is full of prayer.
The world of silence in which I am immersed contributes to my prayer.
We learn to receive guidance and comfort in quiet moments.
As Jesus said, “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me” (John 10:27).
Questions to ponder: Why do you think God chose to reveal Himself in a whisper in 1 Kings? How have you heard from God in your life? How do you want to hear from God in your life?
